In case you weren’t aware (and we’re not sure how you wouldn’t be), the starters were selected based on a popular vote of fans, media members and NBA players.

At the end of the day, among Western Conference guards, Russell Westbrook placed third behind Stephen Curry, who received the most votes among Western Conference players, and James Harden.

Curry and Harden defeated Westbrook in voting among fans, NBA players and media members, and it’s an interesting reality for the league’s reigning MVP.

Westbrook was asked about it on Friday and said that the snub didn’t bother him.

“Not at all,” he said.

“All-Star doesn’t do anything, doesn’t change anything, doesn’t change who you are as a player, what you bring to the game. It’s just who people think should make it.”

Russell Westbrook asked if he’s disappointed to not be named an All-Star starter: “Not at all. All-Star doesn’t do anything, change anything, change who you are as a player, what you bring to the game.” pic.twitter.com/abaWeWKvKL

For what it’s worth, the first 10 players selected as All-Stars were done by the aforementioned voting processes, with the other 14 All-Stars being voted in by the coaches of the respective conferences.

There’s zero chance Westbrook doesn’t get voted in by the coaches, so it’s probably easier for him to not feel passed over at this point. The voting process, after all, has long been considered a popularity contest. Unlike many of his peers, Westbrook has never gone out of his way to endear himself to others, so it’s not surprising that he would be dismissive of their thoughts.

“That doesn’t change anything for me, never will,” he said of not being voted in as a starter.

“That’s not something I play for. I play to win championships, and that’s it.”

At 25-20, the Thunder are probably not where they thought they would be after 45 games, but they’ll have another opportunity to build on their recent momentum when they pay LeBron James (who will join Curry as one of the two All-Star game captains) and his Cavs a visit for Saturday afternoon’s game.

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Moke Hamilton

Moke Hamilton is the Editor and Lead Writer for OKC Thunder Wire. Based in New York City, Moke is entering his seventh season covering the NBA and previously worked for Turner Sports and NBC Universal prior to joining the USA Today Sports Media Group. He can be heard on the air at 98.7FM ESPN New York where he resides as a studio contributor and also currently serves as a Deputy Editor for BasketballInsiders.com.